politicians in the process
by Drabbler72
Summary: Early days for the administration, and a lesson about keeping your friends closer still...
1. Chapter 1

**Hello All, obviously I don't own any of this! **

**08:00-08:15.**

The thing is, they are all simple rooms.

So picture a simple room, a large lobby, if you like. A black and white tiled floor, well and discreetly lit. Expensive and immaculate prints will line the wall and the air is faintly fragranced with the freshly cut flowers that litter the place in expensive-looking arrangements.

It looks not at all unlike the lobby of an exclusive and expensive hotel, if you discount the unobtrusive but heavily-armed guards that line the wall between the perfectly plastered columns.

It's just a room, like any other simple room, but this simple room has played quiet host to many of the most momentous occasions in the short but eventful history of this new world.

This simple room is the lobby of the Whitehouse, and so its simplicity is really a lie.

Because, before the West Wing existed, this had been Whitehouse's gateway, press-room and soap-box to the world. In this simple room wars had been announced, peace proclaimed, empires created and governments destroyed. It had welcomed presidents and prime-ministers, kings and queens, great dictators, freedom fighters and on occasion, a very, very, big block of cheese.

Proclamations and abdications, inaugurations and celebrations, imprisonments and impeachments had all been announced in this oh-so-simple room. Carter and Kennedy, Lincoln and Nixon, Roosevelt and Reagan, had all walked across those little black-and-white tiles.

On other days this would strike Josh powerfully, the significance of this room, the history in these walls, the incredible feeling that he was a part of it now, that he had his own tiny yet undeniable place on those same tiles. But he wasn't thinking about any of that today, because today he was in trouble with CJ, and when you're in trouble with CJ it soon takes up your whole world.

…and of course, while you did get access on an almost daily basis to the most powerful man in the world, a role in dictating the political agenda of a whole hemisphere and a lot of very exclusive stationary, the downside of working in one of the world's most secure buildings, Josh had to admit, was that it made it really difficult to sneak into work in the mornings…

So he wasn't at all surprised at all to see that CJ was waiting for him in this lobby, six elegantly coiffured feet of Armani-tailored, toe-tapping avenging angel, but felt he should make an effort, if only for the sake of appearances.

'Hey CJ, how's it going?'

'Are you kidding me?'

'So, I'm guessing we're done with 'how's it's going'?'

'Oh, you better believe it, Josh. We're also done with 'Good morning,' and, 'have a good day', that ship has long since sailed-'

This was worse than Josh had expected. He knew he'd be in a certain amount of trouble, he nearly always was, but CJ looked way more pissed at him than that. In any circumstance she was an impressive sight, of course. Disarming and charming, she was also tall, elegant, whip-smart and utterly capable. The president had once compared her to a 50's movie star, and Josh had known exactly what he meant, she exuded a kind of effortless glamour, an almost cat-like grace.

Angry, she was like being hit by a runaway train.

'So tell me, have you totally lost your mind?'

'CJ-'

'Seriously, you have a five minute meet and greet with the Idaho caucus and decided that that was the moment to start slapping around the farming lobby?'

'No! CJ, I did not 'slap around the farming lobby', we were talking, I made a joke, that was it, it's not a story. How is that a story? What, is Ezra Pound mad at me now?'

'Five minutes, Josh, you couldn't talk about the weather?'

'CJ-'

'Potato Farmers, Josh, you had to make a joke about potato farmers.'

CJ fell into step with Josh as they passed through security and headed towards Josh's office.

'Do you have any idea how much of America's potato crop is grown in Idaho?'

'Is there any chance, any vague, possible, glimmer of hope that you're not about to tell me?'

'No hope at all, Josh, no hope at all. One third, one third of Americas potatoes, that's 24,000 farmers.'

'How do you even know these things? What kind of person has that information to hand?'

'24,000 voters, Josh- 24,000 voters who you've just insulted in the run up to the mid-terms, in a state we only won by 63 hundred votes.'

Josh sighed, defeated. 'Yeah, well, I could have seen that coming-'

'So unless you're planning to move yourself, all your friends, and 23,999 other people to Idaho before the mid-terms, I promise you, this _is_ going to be a story.'

Josh leaned around the door of his office, throwing his rucksack at the chair. It missed- it was going to be that sort of a day. As he turned back to CJ he almost jumped at the sudden appearance of Toby behind him.

Josh couldn't help but notice that Toby didn't look happy either.

He decided to keep walking.

'Look, it was just a throwaway remark,' Josh rounded on them both, 'It wasn't like I threatening to annex Boise.'

Toby nodded at CJ, they exchanged a look which spoke volumes in a language Josh had never understood.

'You briefing Groucho?' Toby asked her. CJ shook her head in exasperation,

'It was a JOKE!' Josh was almost shouting, 'It's not my fault these people have no sense of humor.'

'I've known you three years, Josh, swear to god, you've never once said anything even remotely funny.'

Josh deflated slightly, 'Well, it's possible I may have misjudged my audience.'

'So what happened? You wake up yesterday morning thinking that you're Leno?' Toby's voice was rising too.

'Toby…,' warned CJ gently.

'-And now CJ has to spend a whole news cycle explaining why you blew out my policy agenda so you could take cheap shots at people who dig holes for a living?'

'While also providing an essential and popular food resource for a hungry nation-' interjected CJ, automatically.

'What she said. And not to mention-'

'Not to mention 24,000 votes.' CJ finished.

'I told you, it was a joke! And anyway,' said Josh, rounding on Toby, 'since when was it _your_ policy agenda? '

'Since you decided to swap being a professional political operative for a five minute slot at the Copa-You know how many votes we won that state by?'

'63 hundred, I know! Look I'll fix this, I can fix this, I'll just send them a giant, you know, skillet or something.'

'Josh.-' CJ's warning was harder now.

'Okay, okay, I'll be nice.'

They walked on in silence for a moment. Josh looked more troubled than he had all morning, something was eating away at him, and as they rounded the corner into Leo's office, he couldn't hold the question back any longer.

'Seriously though,' he said, turning worriedly at Leo, 'you don't think I'm funny?'

Leo's office was another apparently simple room. Small by any standards, it was heavy with dark oak and authority.

'I've got an 8.15 so I want to keep this brief-' Leo began.

'Leo, I just want to say-' Josh began-

'Well just don't say, Josh. The president's taking care of it now, which, by the way, he wouldn't have had to do if you didn't go shooting off at the mouth every time I let you leave the building without a responsible adult. He's been on the phone to the governor for the last half hour; we should have something for CJ to tell the press in the next ten minutes.'

'Well, if there's anything you want me do today-'

'You want to know what I want you to do today, Josh? I'll tell you exactly what I want you to do today, you're going to go to the hill to talk to Kaplan about prelims for the Medicare bill, then you're going to go and apologise to the leader of the minority for trying to get Idaho to secede from the union, and _then _you're going to try and get through the rest of the day without giving me another reason to fire you.'

'Yes sir'. Josh said meekly

'And I have to spend three hours with one of the president's more trying advisors this afternoon, talking about Indian trade tariffs, after which I promise you I'll be in a firing mood. What's next?'

CJ had heard about this meeting, and about the advisor, and couldn't reign in her curiosity,

'Is that Lord John-'

'Marberry? Yes, and whatever your next question is, CJ, the answer is no. What's next?'

'Budget caps on insurance provisions?'

'Not now, what else?'

'There's the memos for the ConAf summit?'

'Not now what else?'

Toby was looking agitated,

'Leo, did you ask him about -?' Leo interrupted him, he knew what he was going to ask about, he'd been asking every half hour for the last two days now, he replied with a weary resignation.

'I took it to him Toby. And when he's done keeping Josh off Dateline for the next month, I'll see what he has to say, but I'm telling you now, it's a big ask, so, what's next'

'Any chance of you making Josh cry like a girl?'

'Then we're done.'


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello all, obviously I don't own any of this!**

* * *

Sam hung back until everyone else had left. Leo, seemingly oblivious to his presence, sat signing some papers and making notes for amendments on others.

'Leo?'

'Yeah.'

'I just wondered, I have a thing- I have a note here from you saying that you want a 3,000 word position paper on 'the advantages of cleaner air' by two o'clock?'

'Yeah?' Leo didn't look up.

'I mean, cleaner air is good, right? That's our position.'

'Sam-' began Leo wearily.

'I'm just saying, It's not like we're going to come down on the side of higher carbon monoxide levels for elementary schools-'

'Well then, Sam. I guess it won't take you long to write the paper.'

There was a pause.

'Leo, am I being punished for something?'

'Margaret!'

'It's just it feels like I'm being punished for something-'

At that moment Margaret bustled in, all fiery-haired efficiency, gathering up the papers Leo had just finished with and pointing out more for him to sign, before breezing out again. Leo took off his glasses and focused his attention for the first time entirely upon Sam.

'Sam, I'm the chief of staff to the world's most powerful man, I have a republican congress, a liberal agenda, popularity ratings in the forties and a hostile media breathing down my neck, why on earth would I want to waste my time with punishing you ?'

'Because I said I'd take Mallory to the theatre last night, and I had to stand her up to finish the Kaplan brief, which in a kind of way was your fault when you think about it, what with you being the one who told me I had to finish the Kaplan brief…'

'Sam,' said Leo flatly, 'take a look at my face.'

Sam did.

'I'm going to go back to work now.'

'Well Amen to that, Sam.' said Leo, as he stood up, straightened his suit, and moved to open the door that lead to the Oval office.

President Bartlett looked up from the briefing notes he was studying as he heard Leo enter, and looked at him questioningly over his reading glasses.

'You punishing Sam?'

'Oh, yeah.'

'Good for you,; said Bartlett turning back to the paper, before making a quick note in the margin and closing it with a satisfied thump, 'Us over-protective fathers have to stick together. I'm thinking about forming a union.'

'How did it go with the governor?

'He's pissed, but not nearly as pissed as he's pretending to be. He'll be okay, but it's going to cost us some time in Idaho before the mid-terms.'

'Could have been worse.' suggested Leo philosophically.

'Could have been better, I could have passed a law banning Josh from talking the day after my inauguration.'

'I'm not sure, but I think there may be an amendment dealing with that sort of thing.'

'This job's all about the small print isn't it?'

'Mr. President?'

Bartlett put his hands in his pockets and smiled, gently.

'I want to speak to Toby.'

* * *

Josh cut a forlorn figure as he left Leo's office and followed CJ towards the press room.

'So this is what happens now? I make a joke and the leader of the free world has to spend his morning on the phone to Idaho? Just because some potato farmers don't like me?'

'Check our approval ratings, Josh. Nobody likes you, hadn't you noticed?

Josh sighed, and turned towards his office 'I'm going to sit under my desk for a while.'

'Well just don't talk to anyone while you're down there.'

'Yeah, right.'

CJ watched Josh walk away for a moment; he looked like a dejected schoolboy, head down and hands in pockets. She almost called after him but she sensibly quashed the urge. She braced herself as she turned towards the press room and the inevitable fall-out. He'd bounce back soon enough on his own, unfortunately.

She spent the rest of the walk to her office with her head buried in memo papers, so lost in thought that she was actually at her desk before realizing with a start that Danny was sitting in the chair opposite her.

'How do you get in here?'

'So, Josh in trouble over the Idaho thing?'

'Seriously, is there a secret passage that I don't know about?'

'Because if he isn't, he should be, that was a little-league move, and you can't afford it, CJ, not right now.'

'Did you break in to my office just to slap me around or was there something I can do for you?'

'No, I broke in to your office to ask you to come to dinner with me; the slapping around thing was just small-talk.'

'Honest to god Danny, when you say things like that I don't know if you mean it, or if you're hoping to confuse me into winning you a Pulitzer.'

'Honestly, sometimes I don't know either.'

'That's what I thought.'

'There is one way we could both be sure,'

'Oh yeah, how's that?'

'Come to dinner with me.'

'I think we both know that's never going to happen.'

'Is the president worried about the approval ratings?'

'We'll bounce back, Danny-

'Listen, CJ the wind is blowing out there and it's pretty cold. Things keep going the way they are and you'll be a lame-duck presidency before you get into your third year.'

'Gee Danny; this how you get all the girls to go out with you, your sunny Californian optimism?'

'Yeah, well y'know, that and the small talk.'

'It's amazing that you're still single.'

'Well I don't get out as much as I should.'

'You could start by getting out now.'

'Brunch? I make great Bruschetta.'

'Goodbye Danny.' CJ held the door open, Danny didn't move.

'Potato salad?'

'Danny!'

'You seem very calm about this whole Kaplan thing.' Danny said it innocently enough, but his eyes were dancing as he said it.

CJ closed the door again. When she spoke her voice was like diamonds.

'What Kaplan thing?'

As CJ had predicted, Josh was well on the way to bouncing back, even as he got to his office. Donna met him at the door, effervescent with mischief. This was going to be a good day; Josh was in just the right amount of trouble for her to have a little fun at his expense-

-and she had to admit, he did look cute when he was feeling sorry for himself.

'You've your 9.30 on the hill and calls from the leader of the house, the minority leader, the DFC and the VP's office.'

'Finally! Something real to do, the business of government, Donna, amongst all the nonsense of the political y'know, bun-fight, the wheels of Democracy never stop turning.'

'Most of the calls are about the potato blunder.'

'Look, listen, okay, right, A. It wasn't a blunder, it was a joke, which absolutely anyone who doesn't spend their life talking to-' Josh flailed for the right word, '-tubers, would have understood, and B. IT WAS A JOKE.'

'Seriously though, you don't like potatoes? I never knew that about you, you like potato salad-'

'Donna.-'

'Or is it the people who grow the potatoes, because if it is, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with that-

'Donna!'

'It not that you dislike the people of Idaho in general, is it?'

'Don't you have some high-level executive typing to do or something, know somewhere else?'

'9.30 on the hill!' called Donna, grinning as she left Josh's office.

He called her back, suddenly struck by a thought.

'Donna.'

'Yeah?'

'Listen -Donna, you think I'm funny, right?'

'Am I under oath right now?'

'Never mind.'

'9.30 on the hill.'

Donna gleefully made her way out, almost running into Sam on the way,

Josh looked up dourly at Sam,

'Listen if you're here to make potato jokes, I promise you, I'm not in the mood.'

'Something which you apparently have in common with the great state of Idaho- but no, I'm here about something else,'

'Listen, you think I'm funny, right?'

'You going out up to the hill?' Sam asked, as Josh bustled around the office grabbing memos and files, stuffing them into his backpack as he went.

'Meeting with Kaplan. Seriously, you don't think I'm funny?'

'You brought the house down at the Press awards, you mind if I walk out with you?'

'You wrote that speech.'

'Well, I'm not saying you don't need help- Hey, I think Leo's punishing me.'

'Why?'

'He's got me writing a position paper on why we're against gassing people on principle.'

'That might cost us some votes in Texas.'

'I'll be sure and bring that up.'

'I mean, why is he punishing you?'

'I stood Mallory up last night.''

'I wouldn't worry about it.'

'You don't think he's punishing me?'

'Oh, he's definitely punishing you; I just don't think worrying about it will help.'

'You think I'm in trouble?'

'I would say absolutely yes.'

'Well that makes me feel a lot better.'

'Then my work here is done.'

They had reached the lobby, Sam turned back into the West Wing, as Josh headed out to the hill. Sam's mind had already turned to the position paper he had to write, and despite himself he started to get a little excited about the possible implications. Even on its' worst day, in trouble with the boss and laden with 'busy-work', five minutes working here was still better than a lifetime in corporate law. As soon as Sam entered the bull-pen he called to Bonnie

'Hey, I'm going to need all the statistics we have on industrial emissions and respiratory illness, and get me someone from Health and Environmental affairs on the phone as soon as we can.'

Bonnie didn't move-

'Sam quick, you're going to want to see this,' she gestured to the TV which constantly streamed CNN into the room, he recognized Kaplan immediately, but struggled for a moment to make out what he was saying, when he finally did, his eyes hardened.

Behind him all the phones started to ring.


End file.
